Improvement in folding tables



r 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. E. WAKEFIELD. Folding Table.

' No."201,723. Patented March 26,1878.-

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v J. E. WAKEFIELD.

Folding Table.

No. 201,723. Pa tented March 26',-i87s.

JWW fl w/66W /Qaqdka I N, PETERS, PHOT UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OHN E. WAKEFIELD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOLDING TABLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,723, dated March26,1878; application filed February 21, 1878.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. WAKEFIELD, of Worcester, in the State ofMassachusetts,

have invented an Improvement in Folding Tables and Legs, of which thefollowing is a specification Folding tables have been made with acentral standard that can be revolved, and there has been a clamp tohold the standard to the top and allow the latter to be moved to aninclination to the standard, or to be swung into line with the same, andin some instances the legs have been made to fold flat, so as to allowof being packed into a small compass.

My improvement is made for the purpose of simplifying the constructionand renderin g the table very strong and durable; at the same timeallowing the table and legs to be packed, when not in use, into a verysmall space.

The folding legs are of peculiar construction, and especially adapted tofolding tables; but the same might be applied to pivot or revolvingchairs. There is a central standard,

In the drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of the table. Fig. Zrepresentstheparts as packed together for transportation. Fig. 3 shows thelocking-rin gs in perspective, without the legs or standard. Fig. 41s aplan view of the locking-rings; Fig. 5, an elevation of one of thelocking-ring segments; and Fig. (Sis a sectional plan at the joint ofthe standard. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the slides upon the table.Fig.

. 8 represents a modification in the link fi-om the table to the joint;and Fig. 9 is a side view of the rings for the legs, in a modified form,as applied to the table.

The standard a is more or less ornamental, and the legs b b are cut out,carved, or otherwise made in any desired configuration. They areconnected together in pairs at opposite sides of the standard; but, inorder to allow the legs to be turned around the standard until they lieflat against each other, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the radial line fromthe central column does not pass through the centerof each leg, but atthe side of the same, so that the respective pairs of legs can be swungtoward each other until nearly in contact, and

they Will be parallel, or nearly so, to each other, and a verticalradial plane will pass between and parallel to the legs of therespective pairs of legs.

In order to unite the opposite legs in pairs,

I make use of flanged segmental rings d, surrounding the column a, andattached at their outer ends to the legs. Each halfring is made with twoflanges, 2 and 3. The flange 3 is a tangent to the ring, and the flange2 is in the line of a prolongation of the radius to the circle. Hence,when two of these segments are placed in reverse position, as indicatedin Fig. 3, a complete circle or ring is made to surround the cylindricalportion of the standard a, and form a jaw at each side to receive theedges of the legs.

There are, by preference, two pairs of these segmental rings to eachpair of legs,and these come near each other upon the column a, as shownin Fig. 1. It will now be apparent that the pairs of legs are veryfirmly connected by thesesegmental rings when the edges of said legs areentered into the jaws between the flanges of the segments and secured byrivets or screws passing through the same.

The legs, formed and connected as aforesaid, can be placed at rightangles to each other for supporting the table, or the legs can befolded, as aforesaid. It is desirable to lock these rings in theirproper relative positions when the legs are open, so as to retain them.For this purpose recesses are made in the adjacent edges to receive theprojections between the correspondingrecesses of the adjacentring-sections. It is preferable to locate these notches andprojections so that they will not interlock when folded, but that theywillinterlock when the legs are opened, andby proportionin g the parts,as represented, all of the ring-segments (including the notches andprojections) may correspond in all particulars, so that one pattern onlyis required in casting them.

It is preferable to support the standard and table by the shoulders orribs of the standard coming above the rings; and it will be apparentthat the pair of legs I) that is connected by the lower pair ofring-segments will require to be drawn down sufficiently from the otherringsegments to separate the notches and projections before the legs canbe folded; hence, when in use, the weight of the table keeps thesenotches and projections interlocked.

The standard usually is free to be revolved in the rings; but a clampingor set screw may be provided to hold the same from turning.

At the top of .the' standard there are links ff, attached by thecross-bolt g to such standard, and the other ends of the said links arehinged at hto theunder side of the table. The faces of the links faround the bolt 9 are made with circular grooves, receiving the circularribs upon the platesi that are attached to the side faces of thestandard, so that the connection is made rigid by tightening up thescrewbolt 9. It will be seen that, according to the position or angle ofthese links f, the joint h will be at a greater or les elevation fromthe floor, and that the table-top 1 can be turned upon the joint h intoany desired position, either horizontal, vertical, or at an inclination.

I make use of a second link or pair of links, m, passing off from thejoint 9 in the opposite direction to the links f to the table-top, so asto form with said links f a triangle, that supports the table-top. Thistriangle will be flat when the table-top is near the top of the standarda, and will be more acute when the table-top is raised.

There are several ways in which the links m can be connected at theirends to the under side of the table and the standard respectively. Ihave shown in Figs. 1 and 2 thelinks m as provided with ring-eyes at theends adjacent to the top of the standard, such rings passing aroundcircular ribs upon the plates 6, and lying between the links f and theplates 2', and the outer ends of these links m are between slides fixedfirmly to the under side of the table I.

There are grooves in the opposite faces-of these slides n, in which theends of a crossbolt slide, (see sectional view, Fig. 7,) such boltpassing through the ends of the links m, and also through a cam-lock, 0,that has a lever, 8, by which it is turned, and cam-shaped ends 9 thatact against similar cam-faces at the sides of the links m, so that whenthe lever Sis moved the ends of the links m will be forcibly pressedagainst the faces of the slides a, to retain the parts in whateverposition they may be placed.

The reverse movement liberates the parts and allows the inclination tobe varied, and it will be apparent that by loosening thebolt g the tablecan be raised or lowered, and then by loosening the cam-lock 0 the tablecan be placed level or at aninclination, as desired. The bars a, formingthe slide, may be simply screwed to the table, or connected by crossbarsto resist the thrust of the cams. Screws may take the place of the cams.

It will be evident that, in place of using a slide, a, the end of thelinks m next the tabletop may be provided with a joint, as seen in Fig.8, and a slot be made in the link or links for the bolt g, to allow ofthe adjustment aforesaid. In this case the parts will be held by theclamping action of the bolt 9, or a nut especially provided for suchlinks m.

If desired, both links or sets of links f m -'may be slotted, and acompound bolt, g, provided with a thumb-nut at each end, one acting toclamp the link or links f,- the other the link or links m.

When the table'is to be folded into a small space, the parts are swunginto the position shown in Fig. 2. If the links f are provided withclamping devices at each end of sufficient strength, then the links mmay be dispensed with.

If desired, each ring 01 may be made in one piece, and with one or twoflanges for each leg. In this case the standard of the table will heslipped endwise through these rings, and in this case the bottom ringsmay be displaced by round plates, with wings or flanges for the legs,and a central screw through such plates entering the end of thestandard,"to connect and apply friction to the parts to hold the legs inposition, as seen in Fig. 9; or catches or locks may be used, asaforesaid.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the standard a, of thepairs of folding legs b b and the rings 01, for uniting such legs inpairs and connecting them to the standard a, substantially as set forth.

2. The segmental rings d, provided with the flanges 2 and 3, incombination with the legs I) b that are received between such flanges,and united in pairs, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the table-top land standard a, of the links f,connected at one end by joints to the table-top and at the other end tothe top of the standard, substantially as set forth.

4. The plates '5, having interlocking circular flanges, in combinationwith the standard a, table-top Z, links f, and clamping-bolt 9,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the standard a and table-top l, of the links fand m, connected at their respective ends to such standard and table,and allowing the table to be raised, lowered, or tipped, substantiallyas set forth.

6. The slides a, cross-bolt g, cam-lock 0, and links m, in combinationwith the standard a,

table-top l, and links f, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in a folding table, of a standard, folding legsconnected in pairs at opposite sides of the standard, a table-top, andlinks connecting the standard and table-top, substantially as set forth,whereby the parts can be folded, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 15th day of February, A. D. 1878.

JOHN E. WAKEFIELD.

Witnesses HENRY BACON, F. J. BARNABD.

